Funerals are now just a mouse click away

 

March 8, 2009

By Dane Stickney

 

When traveling salesman Jack Rittenhouse died of cancer in February, folks from as far away as Pakistan and Costa Rica mourned.

 

They told his widow, Angie, they wished there was a way they could get to his hometown, Waterloo, Neb., for the funeral, but the trip was too costly or time-consuming. Turns out, Angie told them, they could take part anyway.

 

All they needed was an Internet connection.

 

The technology has advantages. Rittenhouse's friends and family in 85 locations around the globe logged on to watch live video of the funeral. From as close as Omaha and as far as Islamabad, they were able to digitally take part.

 

But some traditionalists find it hard to embrace. Is nothing, not even a funeral, sacred in this digital age?

 

Jon Reichmuth lets his clients answer that question for themselves. He runs funeral homes in Elkhorn, Bennington, Valley and Yutan and offers free webcasting for funeral and graveside services.

 

In December, Reichmuth contracted a California-based firm, Event by Wire, to provide a video camera and technical support.

 

The company advises mortuary employees on how to film the service and hosts the video on its Web site for up to a year. Family members invite people to watch the service by sending them a link and a password to the company's Web site.

 

Roughly 75 percent of Reichmuth's clients have elected to webcast their services. The technology gives their far-flung friends and family an experience they otherwise couldn't have.

 

Jack Rittenhouse's funeral is a prime example. The 37-year-old Hewlett-Packard salesman traveled around the country and sometimes abroad. He developed close ties with people thousands of miles from eastern Nebraska.

 

Reichmuth asked Angie Rittenhouse if she would like to webcast her husband's Feb. 12 funeral. She had never heard of the practice but thought it was an ideal way for the far-reaching net of friends and family to celebrate Jack's life.

 

The webcast captured the funeral inside an Elkhorn church. Nearly 600 people attended the service, which featured a slide show of images from Rittenhouse's life and a flower arrangement with ears of corn and a mini John Deere tractor.

 

Reichmuth employees also taped the graveside service and put it on the Web site a few hours later. They couldn't webcast the interment because the cemetery had no Internet access.

 

Once the webcast was posted, Rittenhouse's friends and family around the globe could see the 23 firetrucks that led the former volunteer firefighter's procession to the cemetery. They could hear two bagpipers play "Amazing Grace."

 

Angie received dozens of e-mails from those who had watched online.

 

"They told me they felt like they were part of the funeral," she said. "It made me feel warm inside to know they were there watching and supporting us."

 

She has since gone back and watched archived parts of the service and interment online.

 

Reichmuth has broadcast 13 other funerals online, with mixed interest. A few, like Rittenhouse's, have drawn nearly 100 viewers. Others have attracted fewer than 10.

 

Customers who elect not to webcast tend to be older and live in rural areas. Almost all their family members physically attend, and they're leery of having their services posted online.

 

Others are tied to tradition. Reichmuth held a funeral this weekend for clients with extended family in England. Webcasting would have been an effective tool for far-away mourners, but the clients felt the technology detracted from the reverence of the occasion.

 

Reichmuth discovered webcasting at a national conference last year. He's noticed clients-mainly baby boomers-breaking from tradition. Their funerals are more like parties than services and are highly personal. Some have sports logos on their caskets or shoot their ashes into the sky with fireworks.

 

For them, webcasting is a tame no-brainer.

 

Many across the country feel the same way. Event by Wire is the nation's largest funeral webcaster and has been in business for 18 months. It now serves more than 100 funeral homes in more than 40 states. Some of the mortuaries offer webcasting as a free perk, while others charge as much as $300 to add it to standard funeral packages.

 

Reichmuth is Event by Wire's first Nebraska client. Some area funeral homes have posted taped video of funerals but haven't yet webcast services.

 

The trend leaves Larry Compeau conflicted. He has studied funeral rituals as a professor of marketing and a consumer psychologist at Clarkson University in Potsdam, N.Y. He understands the value to people who can't attend the funeral and agrees funeral webcasting is quickly becoming mainstream.

 

But he's worried about the technical intrusion into a personal ritual.

 

"It's another step in our cultural base that could undermine how we connect and maintain relationships with other people," he said.

 

Webcasting makes it easier for people to shirk their obligation to physically attend funerals, he said, and the technology has a layer of creepy voyeurism.

 

A local grief counselor questions its emotional value.

 

"The point of a funeral is to provide support to survivors," said Robin Zagurski, a therapist and social worker for the University of Nebraska Medical Center. "Watching it over a webcast, the only thing a survivor is going to get is the count of how many watched.

 

"That's not the same kind of support they get when people physically attend a funeral."

 

It may be a different style of support, but Angie Rittenhouse happily took it.

 

"I was glad people were able to do it and be part of Jack's funeral," she said.

 

Testimonials

  • This was Beautiful...

      This was Beautiful. The most horrible time of my life was made easier with the service of this Funeral Home. I can't express my appreciation enough.


      Thank you again



      --
      Katie Creel's mommy and daddy.

  • This is a wonderful thing...

      This is a wonderful thing to be able to view the service from so far away.The video part was fine.


      Thank you for doing this.



      --
      Pat Wendrzycki.

  • This is wonderful!...

      This is wonderful! I attended the Wake but was unable to attended the funeral. Being able to view this online is incredible!.



      --
      Terry Ellis Devall.

  • What a beautiful ceremony...

      What a beautiful ceremony. Your video allowed me to witness the relative I never really knew. It is always nice to experience something positive in today's reckless world.


      Gary, left an imprint on his family and now on me. I wished I could have known him better.


      God Bless You All! Love



      --
      Jackie Schreier.

  • You did a wonderful job...

      You did a wonderful job I couldn't make it to my brother's funeral but now I feel like I was there.


      Thank you very much.



      --
      Carol Showers.

  • I found the video stream ...

      I found the video stream of my aunt's funeral very meaninful. I was unable to attend and this was a great way to remember her and join the rest of my family at her funeral.


      Thanks for making this possible!.



      --
      Mark Hellmann.

  • Thank you so much...

      Thank you so much. This is great. We have "the other woman" car so we didn't get to see the parade.


      Ive told a lot of our people about the website. Rubber City Model A club. We received anaward from the Hibernians.


      Great Day .



      --
      Shirley.

  • This was a lovely...

      This was a lovely service for my Aunt Mackey.


      Thank you so much.




      --
      Charlene Hankowitz.

  • Thank you so much...

      Thank you so much for allowing me to view this online.I was unable to come and know DuWanyne thru friends that are his family in Indiana.He was a special person and I wish his family well.


      They are in my prayers and I am very sorry for their loss.


      This is a wonderful idea to have these on line.


      Thank you again.



      --
      Brandi Brown.

  • What a wonderful idea...

      What a wonderful idea. I was unable to attend the service and that was a closer for me. My heart felt thanks.


      Thank you



      --
      Stella.

  • Thank you so much for having...

      Thank you so much for having this service available. I never knew something like this existed. I'm disabled and was upset I wouldn't be able to attend my Aunt Janice's service. It meant so much to me that I was able to attend after all from my home.


      She was a big part of my life and I'm very happy I was able to celebrate her life. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for providing this.



      --
      Karen

  • I am a friend of ...

      I am a friend of Alice Baratone and I just wanted to send my condolences and appreciation for Drew and his service for our country. I didn't know him personally but this service was touching and I appreciate him giving his life to help keep us free.


      God Bless you all.



      --
      Stephen Carter

  • Thank you so much for helping ...

      Thank you so much for helping me to play the service-it ran just fine after we spoke.


      I had no idea your video service even existed - I am so appreciative that is was available-I am in Florida and was unable to attend my father's funeral so I am truly glad that your product allowed me to view the funeral service - it was just like being in the back pew of the church.


      Thanks again for all your assistance during this difficult time.




      --
      Bonnie

  • Thank you for providing this service...

      Thank you for providing this service for those of us that could not attend and pay our respects in person.


      Respectfully.



      --
      Dave Parker

  • Thank you so much...

      Thank you so much... for my son and I just learned of his Nana's path to a greater place.This a loud him to find a little peace with his loss of such a wonderful person.She loved him so much and he knows this and now she will be forever watching over him as I say. Thank You.



      --
      Tammy Lowe

  • Very impressive presentation...

      Very impressive presentation. Well done.



      --
      Wayne Clock

  • This is my...

      This is my first time to veiw a funeral service.I would like to commend Macon Funeral Home.This is something that Macon County can be proud of.



      --
      Dixie Mason

  • This was the first...

      This was the first time I had ever seen anything like this, what a great idea



      --
      Terry Hansen

  • Thank you so much ...

      Thank you so much for having this service available for people.I was unable to attend in person and was so happy to be able to still be present. My only feedback would be to have the camera set up so you can see the attendees as well as the lector.I understand this may be a policy or a immediate family request.

      Sound was great, picture was great. Thanks again!



      --
      Heidi O'Claire

  • I'm Inga's neice...

      I'm Inga's neice and I live in Billings. The service was beautiful and I enjoyed having this service to watch from my home since I wasn't able to get to Great Falls. I truly wish that our homes here in Billings had the same program. Thank you so very much.

      --
      Sandy Oium

  • The broadcast of my father's...

      The broadcast of my father's service was very nicely done, and provides a valuable service for people who can't attend in person. Thank you, Harriet Ritter & Barry Burd.

      --
      Harriet Ritter & Barry Burd

  • This was beautiful and I thank you ...

      This was beautiful and I thank you for allowing me to be a part of it being so far away in Alabama and not being able to attend.

      --
      Sue Thompson

  • Incredible!...

      Incredible!....

      --
      Jeanie Hamel

  • IT' WAS SO BEAUTIFUL...

      IT' WAS SO BEAUTIFUL TO TO SEE MY FAMILY,AND MY FUTURE NEPHEW IN LAW IN OHIO WHILE LIVE IN TEXAS. IT WAS LIKE BEING THERE WITHOUT THE COLD WEATHER,AND SNACKS!.

      --
      Tamara Menke

  • Thank you so much...

      Thank you so much for providing this service for those of us who could not attend the funeral of Carl Anderson in person. Despite the weather-related interruption, it was wonderful to be able to share in the contemplation of his life and death.
      Your work is very much appreciated.
      --
      Polly Browne, Mankato, Minnesota

  • I enjoyed this video very much...

      Hello,

      I enjoyed this video very much. I appreciate the staff at Baue's holding this remembrance so that we may honor our loved one. The support they offer is amazing.
      Thank you.
      --
      The family of Gary David Witt

  • I think is such a blessing...

      Hello,

      This is the first time I have ever viewed a funeral by eventbywire and I think is such a blessing to be able to be part of the funeral when you cannot be there.
      Thank you.
      --
      Susan Sanderson

  • I love the event by wire...

      Hello,

      I love the "eventbywire"........is there a way to get a copy of my Dad's service...before it's gone forever??

      Thanks!!

      Susan Ankrom

  • What a wonderful service...

      Thank you so very much for enabling me to attend Brother Massengill's funeral even though I was unable to be there in person. What a wonderful service you are providing. I appreciate this so much and wanted you to know

      Diana Clark
      Collegedale, TN

  • As I was not able to attend the funeral...

      As I was not able to attend the funeral today for Mr. K I would like to thank you for the opportunity to be able to watch in online. After being told I could watch it online, I tried and it worked great!! The service was beautiful, I'm sure all planned by Mr. K, but nevertheless, you made it available for me to watch. Thank you so much! Mr. K was a large part in my musical growth and experiences and not being able to attend the service was difficult.

      Thank you again!

      -Ruth Trinrud

  • I watched the services yesterday for Joe...

      My name is Carole Ballanga, I'm Joe's youngest sister , 66 years old. I watched the services yesterday for Joe since I could not be in New Orleans (I live in San Antonio, TX) and it was like being there. Thank you so much for doing such a beautiful job of broadcasting and helping to give me and other relatives out-of-state some closure.

      God Bless you.

      -Carole Ballanga

  • Thank you..

      Thank you for making this available for viewing on the internet.

      Have a great day and God Bless!

  • I'm a friend of Joe's family and live out...

      Thank you for making it possible for me to attend his service via your webcast. It was a lovely service and the cast was very well done. I work for a funeral home myself, and our lead director thought your camera angle was awesome.

      Dee Gurnett
      San Antonio, TX

  • Thank you..

      Thank you for making this available for viewing on the internet.

      Have a great day and God Bless!

  • Thank you so much...

      Thank you so much for making this available for us- especially me and my husband, all the way in Australia. We hooked up my laptop to our home theate speakers and sat on the couch and watched and listened and felt like we were really there. The webcasting is invaluable and I can't thank you enough for allowing us to participate in my grandfather's service. We didn't have any technical problems with it, the picture and audio were great. I was also able to see some folks I haven't seen in a long time that were at the service - it was wonderful.

      Thank you so much.

      - Andi Hazelwood

  • Excellent job...

      Excellent job, thank you so much for making this available to family and friends who couldn't make it to Mike's service. We are very grateful and the video was very well done.

      Again, thank you,
      Sincerely,
      Judy Farmer,
      Ventura, California

  • Event by wire was really great

      The Louisiana Police Memorial event by wire was really great. I would have missed it had it not been taped and stored. Thank you so very very much.

      Bobbie Osterman New Orleans, LA